Drainage Problems

Help! Ive got water in my crawl space

Were blessed in northwest to have such a mild climate and to almost never have a shortage of water.

But because of our abundance many homes in the northwest have water or drainage problems in their crawl space areas. Moisture in crawl spaces can come either from outside or inside. Inside moisture can seep down to the crawl space or outside moisture can be pushed up through the soil.

Which happens depends on the temperature of the crawl space vs. the outdoor temperature, and the pressure differences of the air, which can pull or push water vapor in the air, causing humidity.

Standing water and or humidity can create a variety of problems including providing a breeding ground for mold and also an attractive home for animals and bugs. In addition if you are selling your home it will not pass an inspection with water in your crawl space.

My home has unusually high humidity. Can you help?

We measure humidity levels and temperature in your crawl space using a Hygrometer. If your crawl space suffers from high humidity levels we start with doing everything we can to get rid of the water. Next we install a vapor barrier that is fully sealed. This will have a significant impact on the levels of humidity in your crawl space. If there is still higher than normal levels of humidity we can install a dehumidifier. These devices cycle the air inside the crawl through a simple evaporator that draws out the water vapor from the air and channels it to a drain before it can do any harm to your home. These can be very useful tools and are not cost prohibitive.

If your home does need a dehumidifier we will leave you with your own Hygrometer with a remote control. We will install it in your crawl and it will transmit the readings into your living room providing temperature and humidity levels. This will allow you to keep an eye on whats going on down there without having to actually go down there and make adjustments accordingly.

Where is the water in my crawl space coming from?

So you have a water problem in your crawl space. You need a sump pump, right? Maybe ., but maybe not. Before you decide to have a sump pump installed in your crawl space a little investigation is warranted. Is the water coming into the crawl from an underground spring or from an outside source? Well help you determine this.

Keeping the water out of the crawl in the first place makes sense, not to mention saving your foundation from costly repairs down the road. The water problem could be from your downspouts.

Downspouts can deliver up to six times more water than a garden hose and can wreak havoc on your crawl space and your foundation.

The down spouts need to be connected to a drain that directs the water away from the home or the ground surrounding needs to have a 2% grade away from the home for about 4 feet or the downspouts need at least 4 feet of extensions away from the home. In any case, directing the water away from the home is the best option.

Will a sump pump correct the water problem in my crawl space?

Once we have determined that that any outside water sources have been redirected away from your home we can help solve any remaining water problems in your crawl space. Water problems can appear to be overwhelming, but typically the solution is simply to re direct the water to an area outside the crawl space. Usually this is done with a sump pump system that is fed by drain pipes throughout the crawl area. In some cases an automated two pump system can be used. The advantage is to distribute the work load between the two pumps. This reduces the stress on each pump and also increases their life expectancy. The water is pumped either through the foundation wall or through a crawl space vent and directed to a storm drain or other area where it cannot damage your home. Problem solved.